Antiglare headlight



sept 21a, 1933. J, LANG 1,928.35?

` ANTIGLARE HEADLIGHT original Fileduarch 5,' 1931 ig Lang ZKM/@ Patented Sept. 26, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ANTIGLARE HEADLIGHT John Lang, Milwaukee, Wis.

Application March 5, 1931, Serial No. 520,182

. `Renewed August 16, 1933 1 Claim.` iol. 24o-48.4)

and behind the lens so as to diffuse the rays ofv `light from the bulb, before they pass through the lens, so vvas to reduce the steady glare of a headlight.

YAnother object of the present invention is the provision of an attachment for headlights which include a plurality of spaced strips of wire fabric arranged at right angles to the headlight lens, and directly in the path of the light rays from the illuminating lamp so that the rays which are deflected toward the sides of the road, as Well as those directed straight ahead will be diiused and reduce to a minimum the glare from the deflected rays.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a headlight attachment of the above character which can be quickly and easily attached to any well known type of headlight and positioned directly behind the lens to diffuse the light rays passing therethrough.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel features of construction, the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in the claim and shown in the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a headlight showing the application of my improved attachment;

Figure 2 is a horizontal section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a detailed section on the line 3-3 of Figure 1; and,

Figure 4 is a detailed elevation of one of the fabric strips,

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic plan of another form of the invention.

In the accompanying drawing, I have illustrated the usual concave housing 1 for a headlight which is provided adjacent its outer end with an offset annular shoulder 2 and an inwardly extending annular flange 3. Arranged within the housing 1 is the usual arcuate reector 4 provided at its open side with an annular outstanding iiange 5 adapted to overlie the flange 3 on the housing.

The outstanding flange 5V is provided with an annular groove or depressed portion 6 and arranged within this depressed portion or groove 6 is a yieldable band '7, which may be in the shape of a fabric cord, or a rubber band of substantially circular shape Vin cross section, against which the outer edge of the lens Sis resting.

The lens 8 is retained in position by means of the clamping rim 9 having an inwardly projecting annular flange 10 adapted to engage the outer face of the lens. The annular portion 11 of the clamping rim is adapted to engage over a por- Ytion of the housing, as shown in Figure 2, for

retaining the rim in position.

The above may be of ordinary construction with the exception of the yieldable band 7, and used in connection with this type of headlight is my improved diffusing element. The diffusing element includes a plurality of strips of metal fabric indicated'at 12. These strips are arranged in spaced parallel relation, as shown in Figure 1, and are disposed vertically relative to the redec- `tor 4 and are connected by means of a number of ne wire strands 13. These connecting strands 13 are passed through the openings in the strips 12, adjacent the edges thereof and are then soldered or otherwise secured to each strip to re- @o tain the strips inv equal spaced relation.

These metal fabric strips may be all of the same length, or they may be of different lengths,

Vas shown in Figure 1, with the longest strips arranged in the center of the diffusing element and each strip upon opposite sides of the center running short of the adjacent strip toward the outside of the element.

Extending through the wire strips adjacent one edge thereof are the wire supporting rods 14 which are somewhat heavier than the strands 13, and each strip 12 is soldered to the rods 14 in order to prevent displacement of any of the strips relative to the supporting rods. Y

The upper rod 14 is provided at each end with suitable hook members 15 which are adapted to be engaged with openings formed in the outstanding flange 5 at opposite sides of the reflector 4. In order to facilitate the positioning of these hook members within the openings in flange 5, this v rod is provided within its length with a plurality of convolutions 16, permitting the hooks on this particular rod to be quickly attached to the flange 5. The straight ends of the lower rod can now be clamped in position between the lens 8 and packing ring 7. The convolutions 16 form a yieldable coil within the length of the rod, so as it is preferable to have the same positioned directly behind the lens 8 at approximately a central location so that the diffusing element will Yalso be positioned in front of the illuminating lamp or bulb 17, whereby the rays from this light bulb Will pass through the diffusing element and reduce to a minimum the glare therefrom. It will be apparent that by the use of this diffusing element, the usual straight-ahead glare from the reflector type of headlights is practically eliminated, due to the fact that the metal fabric strips diffuse the rays of light in order to breakr up the injurious rays, and any light rays which might be deflected towards the sides of the road would also be fully broken up,

It will be apparent from the foregoing that the device is very simple in construction' and can be quickly and readily attached to various types of headlights by providing suitable openings in the metal parts of Vthe headlights to be engaged by the hooks 15, and the convolutions with- 1n one of the supporting rods will permit the rods to be quickly and readily fitted in a tight position.

It will be noted inFigure 3,*that the lowermost supporting rod 14 can be retained in position by having its ends positioned between the yieldable band 'I and the lens 8, so that when the clamp'- ing rim 9 is fitted onto the headlight with pressure bearing on the lenses, the ends of the rod will be securely clamped between the band 9 and the lens, the yieldability of the band retaining this rod in position.

loV

In Figure 5, I have illustrated another form of the invention wherein the fabric strips 12 are somewhat longer at one side of the diffusing element and are spaced further apart. Toward the other side of the diffusing elements, the strips run shorter in length and positioned closer t0- gether, due to the fact that when two machines are passing on the road, the' fabric strips by being arranged closer together at one side will practically eliminate any glare from the bulb behind the strips, while the rays of light will be projected forwardly for guidance of the machines.

I claim:

As a new article of manufacture an anti-glare attachment for headlights comprising a plurality of spaced vertically arranged strips formed from wire fabric, said strips being adapted to occupy the center portion of a headlight in front of the lamp thereof, ne wire strands arranged in spaced relation relative to one another connecting the rear edges of the strips together, and a pair of upper and lowerhorizontally disposed rods connected with the front ends of the wire strips and extending beyond the opposite sides of the strips and beyond the ends of the wire strands to constitute attaching members, the wire strands holding the wire strips in proper spaced relation at the rear and the rods holding the strips in proper spaced relation at the front.

JOHN LANG. 

